Ernest a



E. A. Lowe.

4AU1I0MAT|C FIRE ALARM APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.|0,1916.

Patented May 6, 1919.

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ERNEST A. LOWE, OF PLAINFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORTO AUTOMATIC SPRINKER COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION 0F N-EW YORK.

AUTOMATIC FIRE-ALARM APPARATUS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

; Patented May 6, 1919.

Application filed March 10, 1916. eral No. 83,242.

To `allg whom t may concern.'

Be it known that l, ERNEST A. LOWE, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Plainield, Union county, New Jersey, have made a certain new and useful invention Relating to Automatic Fire-Alarm Apparatus, of which the following is a specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, which forms part of the same.

This invention relates t0 fire alarm apparatus adapted to make an audible alarm signal when the temperature of the adjoining premises rises at an excessive rate and the apparatus may comprise detent mechanism connected with a pneumatic thermostat detector having a restricted vent so as to release the detent mechanism on excessive rate of ten'lperature rise. Preferably the wei ht of the apparatus operates through suita` le gearing a vibra-tor device coperating with a signal diaphragm and horn, if desired, so

that under emergency conditions the weight of the apparatus descending through a number of feet can readily give a loud alarm signal without the necessity of relying on heavy operating springs or electric connections.

In the accompanying drawing showing in a somewhat diagrammatic way illustrative embodiments of the invention,

Figure l is a sectional view takensubstantially along the line V1---1 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation, parts being removed, taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation showing the operating drum and connected detent devices; and

Fig. 5 is a top sectional view thereof.

A movable operating casing 4Q containing most of the parts of the mechanism vand closed by the cover 53,'may be formed of cast iron or other suitable material and maybe provided with suitable curved lateral guides or runners at either side of its rear portion so as to coperate with the adjacent wall and guide the descent of the device which may be suspended from a bolt or other support 54 by a ring55 and connected suspendinglor driving cable 56. The apparatus may comprise a signal diaphragm of metal or other suitable material 41 mountbe mounted on this signal diaphragm and may if desired be adjustably mounted as by being formed on the end of the adjusting screw 39 extending through this diaphragm so as to be transversely adjusted with respect thereto and held in any desired position as by the lock nut indicated. A suitable vibrator device such as the toothed vibrator disk 37 may coperate with this contact member so that when it is powerfully rotated it imparts a strong vi-bratory move- ,ment t-o the diaphragh of suiiicient frequency to produce a loud audible alarm signal.

Any suitable gearing may be used to rotate the vibrator preferably through the weight of the apparatus and if desired this vibrator disk may fbe connected through any suitable gearing with a driving drum 2Q over which the suspension driving cable' passes after passing over a guide such as 57, for instance. In this way the power generated by the descent through a number of feet of the apparatus weighing some 10 to 20 pounds or more, may be utilized to give a loud alarm signal for a considerable time and at the same time avoid the'u'ncertainty of spring or electric operation. The gearing may, if desired, be mounted in the connected frame plates 58 Asupported within the casing as by the legs or brackets 615 or bolted to the sldes of the casing or lugs formed thereon and this gearing may comprise a suitable Winding ratchet device located in any part of the train of gearing and indicated for clearness of illustration as comprising the winding ratchet 35 on thei turn with the gear 30 on the shaft 31 carrying the driving pinion 29. An intermediate gear 28 meshes with this pinion and also meshes with the driving gear 27 operatively connected to the driving drum 22. A lost motion impact starting device is preferably that the rst motion of the vibrator has behind it considerable momentum or kinetic energy of these moving parts to eectively prevent or minimize any sticking of the parts due to dirt, corrosion, etc. 1f desired7 this lost motion impact starting device may be arranged in connection with the driving drum and may as indicated in Figs. 1 and 4 comprise two lost motion parts such as the drive arm 24 secured to the drive shaft 25 on which the drive gear 27 is rigidly mounted, the outer end of this drive arm 24 cooperating with, a drive slot 23 of suiiicient extent to allow a comparatively free preliminary movement of the drum corresponding to a substantial descent of the released apparatus. If desired, a cushioning spring 7 3 may be arranged at the end of this slot 23 so as to somewhat cushion the contact between this drive arm and the end of the slot While still giving an increased impact startin` impulse to the connected gearing and vi rater. A relatively light take-up spring 26 normally holds the drive arm in its normal inoperative position shown in Figs. 1 and 4, so that when the detent mechanism releases the drive drum this impact starting action can be effected.

Any suitable form of detent mechanism may be employed to releasel the drivingdevices under fire or other emergency conditions and if desired a suitable pivoted trigger or detent 20 may be. mounted on the drive drum and normally held against its detent pin 63 by the detent spring 21. A latch 18 which may be pivotally mounted on the adjacent frame plate 58 may coperate with this detent, the extent of engagement or overlap of these parts being considerably exaggerated in the drawing` and this latch may be controlled by its connected latch arm 17, thel free end of which is normally held in set position 'by a catch such as 16, which as indicated in Figs. 1 and -3 may be pivoted about the pin 13 and have its extended catch arm 12 cooperate with the trip or release arm 11 which may be pivoted about the pin 10 and have. its upper end 9 actuated by a pneumatic or other thermostat detector device which is responsive to emergency fire conditions. As indicated in Figs. 2 'and 3 the spring 15 may engage the catch arm 12 so as to give it a selfrel.e:`lsing action and more effectively remove the connected catch 16 from the path of the latch arm. A similar releasing spring 6G may be connected to a projection on the latch such as the resetting spring projection l!) connected thereto soas to similarly exert a releasing action on this latch and quickly remove it from the path of the detent so that the drive drum can then freely rotate Without engaging this coperating detent member.

It is desirable to provide suitable resetting devices to reset the parts of this detent mechanism when the apparatus is restored to its normal set position and the drive mechanism rewound as by a key 51 coperating as shown in Fig. 2 with the key shaft 50 connected with the drive shaft or other part of the gearing. For this purpose a resetter knob such as 43 may project from the easing so that when manually raised it engages and lifts the resetter 44 which may be slidingly mounted in a supporting yoke 45 on the frame plate 58. When this resetter is raised against the actionof its return spring 46 it carries upward the resilient arm 47 so as to bring it into engagement -with the resetting spring projection' 19 on the latch so as to bring this latch and its connected latch arm into the set position indicated in Fig. 4 in which the latch arm may engage a stop such as 60 on the frame. And subsequently the further movement of the resetter made possible by the resilient character of the resetter arm and connected parts or the lost motion which may be allowed to the latch arm carries the resetter rod 4S up into engagement with a resetter lug 49 which may be provided on the catch arm 1G so that this catch is then lifted in front of the latch arln and the catch arm 12 is depressed so as to swing down out of the path ot' the trip 11 which is automatically restored to its set position as by the spring 14. A single upward movement of the resetting device eifects the resetting of all these parts of the detent mechanism in their proper order which is inverse tothe order in which they automatically release under emergency conditions and then when the resetting device is released its return spring 46 retracts it to such extent as to carry it out of the path of the detent mechanism so that it cannot interfere with its emergency releasing action.

The trip may be actuated by a pneumatic thermostat device comprising, for example, a light detector diaphragm 7 mounted inthe casing 5 secured to the frame of the machine and having a connected pin or actuating device S which can be projected from the casine into engagement with the trip 9 so as to reilase the detent mechanism in the manner described. This thermostatic diaphragm may be actuated by the pressure generated by heat expansion of air or other fiuid in a suitable air chamber, such as 1, which may have theconnectimgl air pipe 2 and coupling 3 transmitting this air pressure to the passage 6 formed in the diaphragm connection 4 so that this air pressure may be transaaoacee mitted to the small area chamber and eaerted on the communicating face ci the detector diaphragm. it is desirable for tire alarm service to provide a suitable pin hole or small area vent communicating with the pneumatic system and it desired this vent o7 may be arranged on the air chamber l which may With advantage be mounted at the upper part of the apparatus Where it can be nearest to the ceiling and thus be inuenced by the hotter air which collects near the ceiling under fire conditions. This vent 67 which may be screwed into the socket 68 in the air chamber may comprise a vent tube ,69 preferably containing brous filtering material 70 and having a reduced inner end 7l so as to compensate for the normal temperature changes of a few degrees per minute Which are caused by artificial heating or other natural causes, While under theA much more rapid rise or' temperature caused by iire conditions the vent is insucient lto alloiv the escape of the expanding air which thus builds up pressure in the air chamber and on .the communicating detector diaphragm as to release the detent mechanism and effect the emergency operation of the alarm diaphragm as described.,

This invention has been described in connection With a number of illustrative embodiments, forms, parts, materials, arrangements and constructions, to the details oit which disclosure the invention is not of course to be limited, since what is claimed as new and what is desired to be secured by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

l. In automatic fire alarm apparatus, a cast iron casing formed with curved lateral guide runners on its rear portion to cooperate with a wall, a signal diaphragm and cooperating horn mounted in said casing, a contact member on said diaphragm, a toothed vibrator disk mounted in said casing to cooperate With said Contact member and vibrate said' diaphragm to produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drum and a connected suspending driving cable normally suspending said casing and having a rotating influence on said driving drum, gearing comprising a Winding ratchet device between said driving drum and said vibrator disk, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact starting device including a drive arm cooperating with a drive slot in said driving drum to have lost motion in connection therewith, a cushioning spring cushioning the emergency movement of such parts, a take-up spring normally holding said drive arm in set position, detent mechanism relcasably restraining the movement of'said driving drum and comprising a detent on said drum and a cooperating pivoted latch, a resetting spring projection on said latch and a releasing spring normally moving said iatch into release position, a-latch arm connected vto said latch, a catch cooperating with said latch arm and having a spring releasing device and a thermostatically con trolled trip cooperating With said catch arm, a resetting device cooperating with said detent mechanism and comprising a resetter having a resilient resetting arm cooperating with said'resetting spring projection on said latch to reset the same and comprising a resetter rod to subsequntlyA engage and reset said catch and a vented'pneumatic thermostat comprising a detector diaphragm to actuate said trip and comprising a connected air chamber mounted on the upper portion of said casing.

2. lin automatic fire alarm apparatus, a cast iron 4casing formed with curved lateral guide runners on its rear portion to c0- operate with a Wall, a signal diaphragm mounted in said casing, -a contact member on said diaphragm, a toothed vibrator disk mounted in said lcasing to cooperate with said contact member and vibrate said diaphragm to produce a. loud alarm signal, a driving drum and a connected suspend-ing driving cable normally suspending said casing and having a rotating influence on said driving drum, gearing comprising a Windlng ratchet device between said driving drum and'said vibrator disk, said gearing comprislng, a lost motion impact starting device, detent mechanism releasably restraining the .movement of said driving drum and comprising a detent on said drum and a cooperatlng pivoted latch, a resetting spring proJection on said latch and a releasing spring normally moving said latch into release position, a latch arm connected to said latch, a catch cooperating with said latch arm and having a spring releasing device and a thermostatically controlled trip cooperating With said catch arm, a resetting device cooperating with said detent mechanism and comprising a resetter having a resilient resetting arm cooperating with said resetting spring projection on said latch to reset the same and comprising a resetter rod to subsequn-tly engage and reset said catch and a vented pneumatic thermostat comprising a detector diaphragm to. actuate said trip and comprising a connected air chamber. mounted on the upper portion of said casing.

3. In automatic fire alarm apparatus, a cast iron casing, a signal diaphragm mounted in said casing, a Contact member on said diaphragm, a toothed vibrator disk mounted in said casing to cooperate with said contact member and vibrate said diaphragm to produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drumand a connected suspending driving cable gearlng comprising a Winding ratchet device between said driving drum and said vibrator disk, said gearing com rising a lost motion impact starting device, etent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, a resetting device cooperating with said detent mechanism and a vented pneumatic thermostat comprising a detector diaphragm to actuate said detent mechanism and comprising a connected air chamber mounted on the upper portion of said casing.

4. In automatic fire alarm apparatus, a casing formed with guide runners on its rear portion to coperate with a wall, a signal diaphragm mounted in said casing, a toothed vibrator disk mounted in said casing to cooperate with said diaphragm and produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drum and a connected weight operated driving cable normally suspending said casing and having a rotating influence on said driving drum, gearing between said driving dru-m and said vibrator disk, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact starting device including a cushioning spring cushioning its emergency movement, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum and comprising a detent on said drum and a coperating pivoted latch, a latch arm connected to said latch, a catch coperating with said latch arm and having a spring releasing device and a thermostatically controlled trip cooperating with said catch arm, a resetting device cooperating with said detent mechanism and comprising a resetter having a resilient resetting arm coperating with said latch to reset the same and comprising a resetter rod to subsequently engage and reset said catch and a vented pneumatic thermostat to release said detent mechanism and comprising a connected air Achamber mounted on the upper portion of said casing.

5. In automatic re alarm apparatus, a casing, a signal diaphragm mounted in said casing, a toothed vibrator disk mounted in said casing o cooperate with said diaphragm and produce a loudalarm signal, a driving drum and aiconnected weight operated driving cable having a rotating influence on said driving drum, gearing between said driving drumand said vibrator disk, said gearing comprising a` lost motion impact starting device including' a cushioning spring cushioning i-ts emergency movement, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum and comprising a detent on said drum and a cooperating pivoted latch, a latch arm connected to said latch, a catch coperating with said latch arm and having a spring releasing device and a thermostatically controlled trip cooperating with said catch arm, and a vented pneumatic thermostat to release said detent mechanism and comprising a connected air chamber.

6. In automatic fire alarm apparatus, a casing, a signal diaphragm mounted in said casing, a vibrator disk mounted 1n said casing to coperate with said diaphragm and produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drum and a connected weight operated driving cable having a rotating influence on said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator disk, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact starting device allowing free initial rotation o f said driving drum before said gearing 1s rotated, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum and a thermostat to release said detent mechanism and comprising a connected air chamber.

7. In automatic alarm apparatus, a cast iron casing formed with curved lateral guide runners on its rear portion to coperate with a wall, a signal diaphragm and coperating horn mounted in said casing, a toothed disk vibrator mounted in said casing to vibrate said diaphragm to produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drum and vconnected suspending driving cable normally suspending said casing and tending to rotate said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact starting device including a cushioning spring cushioning its emergency movement, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, a resetting dedriving drum and connectedv suspending driving cable normally suspending said casing and tending to rotate said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact, starting device, including a cushioning spring cushioning its emergency movement, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, a resetting device coperating with said detent mechanism and an automatic detector device to release said detent mechanism mounted on the upper portion of said casing.

9. In automatic alarm apparatus, a casing formed with guide runners on its rear portion to coperate with a wall, a signal diaphragm and coperating horn mounted in caid casing, a vibrator mounted in said casing to vibrate said diaphragm to produce a loud alarm signal, a driving drum and connected suspending driving cable normally suspending said casing and tending to rotate said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator, said.

pending said casing and tending to rotate said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator, said gearing comprising` a lost motion impact starting device, detent mechanism releasably rewstraining the movement of said driving dii lid

drum, and an automatic detector device to release said detent mechanism..

y l1. lin automatic alarm apparatus, a casing, a signal diaphragm and cooperating horn mounted in said casing, a vibrator mounted in said casing to vibrate said diaphragm to produce a loud alarm signal, a driving Vdrum and connected suspending driving cable normally suspending said casing and tending to rotate said driving drum, gearing between said driving drum and said vibrator, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, and an automatic detector device to release said detent mechanism.

l2. ln automatic lire alarm apparatus, a casing formed with curved lateral guide runners on its rear portion to coperate with a wall, a mechanically operating audible signal device mounted in said casing, a driving drum and connected weight operated driving cable normally suspending said casing and tending 'to rotate said driving drum, gearing comprising a winding ratchet device between said driving drum and said signal device, said gearing comprisinga'lost motion impact starting device including a drive arm cooperating with a drive slot in said driving drum to have lost motion in connection therewith, a cushioning' spring cushioning the emergency movement of such parts, de-

to release said detent mechanism and conprising an air chamber mounted on the pper portion of said casing..

i3. ln automatic lire alarm appa' casing, a mechanically operating nal device mounted in said casing, a drum and connected weight operated dr cable, gearing between said driving and said signal device, said gearing con. ing a lost motion impact starting device including a drive-arm coperating with a drive slot in said driving drum to have lost motionin connection therewith, a cushioning spring cushioning the emergency movement ot such parts, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement ci said driving drum, a resetting device coperating with said detent mechanism and a vented pneun matic thermostat to release said detent mechanism and comprising an air chamber mounted on the upper portion et said casing, let. ln automatic rire alarm apparatus, a casing, a mechanically operating audible signal device mounted in said casing, a driving drum and connected weight operated driving cable, gearing between said driving drum and said signal device, said gearing comprising -a lost motion impact starting device, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, a resetting device cooperating with said detent mechanism and a vented pneumatic thermostat to release said detent mechanism and comprising an air chamber mounted on the upper portion of said casing.,

l5. lin automatic lire alarm apparatus, a casing, a mechanically operating audible signal device mounted insaid casing, a driving drum and connected weight operated driving cable, gearing between said driving drum and 'said signal device, said gearing comprising a lost motion impact starting device allowing tree initial rotation ot said drlving drum before said gearing is rotated, detent mechanism releasably restraining the movement of said driving drum, and a thermostat to release said detent mechanisml and comprising an air chamber mounted on said casing. ERNEST A. LWE.

lditnesses:

HARRY L. DUNCAN, dessin B. liar..

Miti 

